Winter Special Olympics expected to bring 1,000 people to Central New York

View full sizeDavid Lassman / The Post-StandardThe Special Olympics snowshoe competition takes place at Thornden Park, in Syracuse, in this photo from Feb. 6. Volunteer Peter Rhodes (left) blows his whistle to start a preliminary round of the men's 100 meter race. The winter Special Olympics are coming back to Syracuse early next year.

Syracuse, NY -- Roughly 1,000 people are expected to come to Central New York in February for the Special Olympics 2011 Winter Games.

The games – which will draw roughly 500 athletes and nearly 400 families – offer an economic boost to Syracuse, County Executive Joanie Mahoney and the organizers announced Wednesday. The games will be Feb. 4, 5, and 6.

“All the families that come for the games can really see visit the community and support our local businesses,” she said.

Special Olympics organizers expect to spend roughly $250,000 on the competition with help from major sponsors like Citizens Bank and Wegmans Food Markets.

“It’s always easy to come to Syracuse” said Neal J. Johnson, president of Special Olympics New York. “We choose to host the events here for mainly two reasons: the great competition venues and amazing support from the community.”

Chris Gedney, an assistant athletic director in charge major gifts for Syracuse University, will be honorary coach at the event.

The competition begins Saturday with six Olympic style-events: floor hockey at the Oncenter, figure skating and speed skating at the War Memorial, Nordic skiing at Highland Forest, snowshoeing at Thornden Park and Alpine skiing at Toggenburg Mountain.

Special Olympics athlete Katherine Glover, whose competed for more than 15 years, said she looks forward to the event every year.

“I like just cheering everybody on and I like to support my area,” said Glover, 36 “They make me feel proud and I’m proud of them.”